This is a multi-part series covering several areas of offensive line play in 2017; predictions on the five best OL units, top 3 OL at each position based on tape study, surprise OL unit, top backup OL, and a Q&A session with Chiefs RT Mitchell Schwartz – covering different aspects of his career and OL…
This will be a multi-part series covering several areas of offensive line play in 2017; predictions on the five best OL units, top 3 OL at each position based on tape study, surprise OL unit, top backup OL, and a Q&A session with Chiefs RT Mitchell Schwartz – covering different aspects of his career and…
As humans we elicit some of the most powerful curiosities and questions about our feelings on life: Why are we here? What came first, the chicken or the egg? Does fate exist? Similar to life, football has many philosophical / historical questions that are posed by numerous analysts and fans. Was Bo Jackson the best…
Welcome to a new series here at Inside the Pylon called The Option Route. This one has a primary focus on the wide receiver position. The idea for this series stems from another great series you may be familiar with here at ITP, the Under the Microscope series from my ITP colleague Brandon Thorn who…
Every spring, NFL teams meet with prospects for the upcoming draft in the months leading up to the draft itself. There are many opportunities for players and teams to meet with one another, including all-star games, pro days, the NFL Scouting Combine, workouts, and private visits. Each type of meeting has different rules that govern…
NFL teams throughout the league have a quarterback problem, and they’ve had it for a while. It’s not difficult to figure out that there is a shortage of franchise quarterbacks in the NFL. That’s why teams pour a ton of money into trying to sign or draft their next franchise quarterback – sometimes simultaneously. The…
With mandatory minicamps just finishing it’s officially holdout season: The time of year when players publicly announce their displeasure with their current contract and choose not to attend training camp to create leverage for an extension or a new deal. You’ll see this with players on their rookie deals and disgruntled veterans who believe their…
Series Introduction: A scheme fit is when a player’s traits and abilities line up with a certain coach’s style and scheme. Imagine if every NFL team could draft a player that fit perfectly into their scheme. That would benefit both the teams and the players simultaneously, as general managers and coaches wouldn’t be putting a…
Series Introduction: A scheme fit is when a player’s traits and abilities line up with a certain coach’s style and scheme. Imagine if every NFL team could draft a player that fit perfectly into their scheme. That would benefit both the teams and the players simultaneously, as general managers and coaches wouldn’t be putting a…
We are 31 days away from the 2017 NFL Draft. Despite being so close, the final picture of what the first round looks like is still as muddied as it was a month ago, it’s just muddied in different ways now. We know Myles Garrett is going #1 and we know little else for certainty.…
Self-evaluation is a critical component of the scouting process. History informs us that we will miss on players from time to time, and no evaluators are perfect. Looking back at our previous evaluations of players and identifying the how and why of our errors is a process that is humbling, but helpful to our own…
Bump and run technique is used by defensive backs to disrupt wide receivers, as well as the timing of the pass from the quarterback, as soon as the WR starts their release. The defensive back will work to use their body to force the receiver to change their release off the line of scrimmage and…
With the Super Bowl upon us and the football season finish line right in front of our eyes, what better time than now to reflect on past big games and how their participants compare to this year’s combatants: the Atlanta Falcons and the New England Patriots. In my previous article looking at recent conference championship…
A variation on the traditional i-formation, an offset i-formation is when the fullback lines up shaded to one side of the offensive line rather than directly behind the quarterback. This is frequently labeled a Strong I or Weak I formation. The offset position of the fullback makes it easier for them to make a block…
The rare “30-30-30” guy. That is what Hobart head coach Mike Cragg said NFL scouts were calling Tampa Bay Buccaneers right guard Ali Marpet when they would visit the small campus in Geneva, New York. Marpet was not only showcasing dominant traits on film (Hobart plays on the NCAA’s Division III level), but he also posted…
A screen play usually includes three offensive linemen pass blocking for a couple of seconds before releasing to block downfield for a receiver or running back. The objective of the screen is to get a convoy of mean, moving mass in front of the ball carrier. When called at the right time and executed correctly,…